Aktobe complete FH conquest

FK Aktobe followed up their emphatic first-leg victory over FH Hafnarfjördur with a routine 2-0 home win to book a UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie against Maccabi Haifa FC.

Routine win The Kazakh champions had scored four unanswered goals last week in Iceland, and started on the front foot against their visitors. Samat Smakov opened the scoring after 20 minutes and in-form Murat Tleshev, who has scored 12 league goals in 14 appearances this season, added the second midway through the second half.

FH chancesAfter a lively start, Aktobe captain Smakov picked up the ball 35 metres out and tried his luck from distance, the ball flying into the net. However, FH did not give up and had chances to draw level on the night; Tryggvi Gudmundsson went close from a free-kick and later crossed for Matthias Gudmundsson who headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Prolific Tleshev Tleshev added the second in the 67th minute, taking a pass from Konstantin Golovskoy in his stride and beating Dadi Lárusson in a one-on-one with the Icelandic goalkeeper. Aktobe coach Vladimir Mukhanov said: "It was really important for us to win in front of our fans. Of course, we had a four-goal advantage after the first leg, but we would never play for a goalless draw at home."

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